Because this book examines communication and culture, it should not be surpris-
ing when we assert that language and culture are indispensable components of inter-
cultural communication.
Together, they illustrate synergism, each working to sustain and perpetuate the
other while creating a greater phenomenon—language allows the dissemination and
adoption of culture. The link between language and culture should be obvious, for
as the American philosopher John Dewey remarked,“language is...fundamentally
and primarily a social instrument.”Because it is a social instrument, language provides
the means for a group to create a collective societal structure encompassing political,
economic, social, and educational institutions.
Since language and culture are linked, it behooves students of intercultural communi-
cation to become aware of what can be learned by studying some of the language charac-
teristics of cultures other than their own. In addition, contemporary society, both
domestic and international, is increasingly characterized by interactions among people of
different cultures speaking different languages. For example, a 2011 U.S. Census ascer-
tained that over 21 percent of the U.S. population, five years of age or older, speak a lan-
guage other than English at home.^3 This statistic offers a compelling reason to understand
how culture and language complement each other. Not only is there a domestic need to
understand language differences, but international interactions also demand an awareness
of the connection between language and culture. As globalization increases, multiple
business transactions each day between people who do not speak the same language also
increase. Ferraro highlights the importance of those international exchanges, writing,“If
international business people are to succeed, there is no substitute for an intimate
acquaintance with both the language and the culture of those with whom one is conduct-
ing business.”^4 Hence, the objective of this chapter is to provide you with an appreciation
and understanding of some of those lan-
guages and cultures. The statement by the
American writer Rita May Brown reflects
our motivation:“Language is the roadmap
of a culture. It tells you where its people
came from and where they are going.”Functions of Language
We have suggested to this point that language is a means of preserving culture, a
medium for transmitting culture to new generations, and the chief means utilized by
humans to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings to others. Language is sig-
nificant because it is capable of performing a variety of functions. A look at some of
these functions will serve as a vehicle for revealing the importance of language to the
study of intercultural communication.Social Interaction
Stop for a moment and consider some of your normal activities that necessitate the use of
language. These activities might include chatting with your roommate, talking with your
professor before class, asking a college librarian for help finding a journal, using your cell
phone, surfing the Internet, writing a report, or using your iPad. All of these activities—
and many more—form a part of your daily routine. Without language, however, none ofREMEMBER THIS
Language and culture are interconnected in a multiplicity of
ways.266 CHAPTER 8•Verbal Messages: Exchanging Ideas Through Language
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